Man Utd fan group controversially denies plan to take part in Diogo Jota tribute
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Liverpool FC NewsFeaturesLiverpool FCReports have suggested Manchester United fans planned to join Liverpool supporters in a 20th-minute applause in memory of the late Portugal forward, but those suggestions have been quashedA Manchester United fan group have denied plans to commemorate Diogo Jota during Sunday's game against Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)A spokesperson for the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) has moved to distance the organization from claims that fans are planning a Diogo Jota tribute during Sunday’s game against Liverpool.The two clubs meet at Old Trafford this weekend, looking to secure a top-five finish in the Premier League, while renewing what is often a hostile rivalry between the country’s most successful sides.However, Sport Bible claimed United supporters were planning to set aside rivalry during the encounter at Old Trafford and hold a minute’s applause for Jota, alongside Liverpool fans. This is the first time the Red Devils have hosted Liverpool since the tragic events of last summer, when Jota and his brother, Andre, died in a car crash in northern Spain.READ MORE: Caoimhin Kelleher opens up on Diogo Jota grief after death of ex-Liverpool teammateREAD MORE: Diogo Jota's widow shares heartbreaking last text she sent Liverpool star before crashLiverpool fans have applauded in the 20th minute of every match this season, in recognition of Jota, whose No.
20 jersey was retired ahead of the season.According to Sport Bible, United fans have been urged by MUST to join in with the minute’s applause.The report adds that a proposal was forwarded to MUST, who "have encouraged fans to share the idea and gauge support for it within their own supporter groups."Liverpool fans have paid tribute to Jota throughout the season(Image: Getty Images)However, Jonathan Deitch, MUST’s chair, has denied those claims on social media.Sharing the article, he wrote on X: “Preposterous. Nothing but sympathy for the Jota fam but @MU_ST doing nothing of the sort.“We contacted journo to deny, he refuses to take it down.
Only thing we hope to applaud tmrw is doing the double over LFC & qualifying for CL.”Those words are unlikely to be well received in Liverpool, especially given the majority of fans inside Anfield applauded Cristiano Ronaldo in 2022, when the sides met just 24 hours after the death of his newborn son.“So many things are much more important in life than football, we feel for Cristiano and his family,” Jurgen Klopp said at the time."That is exactly how football should be, with all rivalry aside at this moment. All our thoughts, from the moment we heard about it, are with Cristiano and his family."Sunday will be Liverpool’s penultimate away match of the season, with the trip to Villa Park in two weeks the last of the campaign.A Spanish court last month ruled that there was no criminal liability in the tragic car crash that killed Jota and his brother.Choose Liverpool.com as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Liverpool FCManchester United FCDiogo Jota